(Paris) Atlético Madrid, Manchester United and Inter Milan supported UEFA on Thursday in the face of the dissident Super League project to which these clubs were initially in favor, after a decision by the European justice system unfavorable to the governing body .
“Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (except Real Madrid and FC Barcelona), etc. do not want a Super League,” assured Atlético in a press release, which had supported the initial project in April 2021 before withdrawing.
“We are for the protection of the great family of European football, for the protection of the national championships, and so that thanks to them, qualification for European competitions is obtained on the field each season,” insists the red and white club.
Manchester United, for their part, assured that their position had “not changed”.
“We remain fully committed to participation in UEFA competitions and positive cooperation with UEFA, the Premier League and other clubs through the ECA, to continue the development of European football,” informed the rich English club.
Same reaction from Inter, finalist of the last Champions League, who “reiterated its conviction that the future of European football can only be guaranteed by collaboration between clubs within the ECA and in partnership with UEFA and FIFA”.
“As a club, we remain strongly anchored in the values that characterize the European sporting model and we are committed to working with all the other teams brought together under the aegis of the ECA to defend these values,” concludes the leader’s press release. of the Italian Championship.
In April 2021, these three clubs were among the twelve which launched the project to create their own private competition, the Super League, a breakaway from the Champions League organized by UEFA. English clubs were massively represented there with also Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City, the first to withdraw from the project.
European justice disavowed UEFA on Thursday, ruling that its 2021 rules aimed at preventing the Super League were contrary to the law, a decision which reignites the battle over the future of European football.
The judgment of the European Court of Justice (CJEU) does not, however, validate the legality of this private competition which also faces fierce opposition from many football fans, but offers a new opening to promoters of secession .
“The judgment on the pre-authorization framework for other competitions refers to the old UEFA statutes which have already been modified in June 2022,” recalls Atlético Madrid in its press release.
